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During an outbreak of an exotic notifiable animal disease government may need to cull (kill) animals to control disease spread. Certain categories of animal and bird may be spared from culling if this doesn’t interfere with efforts to control the disease.

Decisions to spare are made on a case by case basis. A vet will carry out a risk assessment of the premises where the animal is kept. Other factors, including the potential implications of failing to cull, will also be considered. There are no guarantees an animal or bird will be spared.

Animals that may be spared

Government will consider sparing animals kept:

in a zoo or a wildlife park

for scientific research or breeding for such research

in a premises approved for trade in semen, ova or embryos within the EU

for display or educational purposes

for purposes related to conservation of a species or genetic resource (see breeds at risk section of this guide)

Poultry and other kept birds that may be spared

Government will consider sparing poultry and other birds that are kept:

in a circus

in a pet shop

in a registered zoo or a wildlife park

for scientific research or breeding for such research

for purposes related to conservation of a species or genetic resource (see breeds at risk section of this guide; there are no poultry breeds on the current list of breeds at risk)

The UK breeds at risk list is not the same as the separate Native Breeds at Risk list, which covers animals eligible for grants for grazing under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).

Registering UK breeds at risk

If you own animals from the UK breeds at risk list and want government to consider sparing them, it is up to you to alert government.

You can tell APHA officials about any at risk breeds if they visit your farm or premises during a disease outbreak, but it is better if you send a completed animal breeds at risk registration form to APHA. This information may help us respond to disease outbreaks.

Proposing new UK breeds at risk

The breeds at risk list is not closed.

If you think there is a breed that should be added to the list, you can tell FAnGR, which is responsible for the list.

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